freedom fighter,former MLA Rabindra Nath Das dies

Balasore (Orissa)Jan 11(Agencies):Veteran freedom fighter and former MLA Rabindra Nath Das died here on Tuesday following prolonged illness,He was 99 and is survived by a daughter.Das was ill and bed-ridden for the last couple ofmonths and passed away at his residence this morning.

Born in February 1912, Das left studies and joined thesalt satyagraha movement against British rule at the call ofMahatma ndhi in 1930.During the Quit India movement in 1942, he was jailed forthree years along with his wife Godavari Devi.

He left Indian National Congress and became one of thefounder members of the Socialist Party in Orissa in 1930 andwas its first president was elected to Orissa Legislative Assembly twice,from Balasore Assembly constituency in 1957 and 1967,from PSP